Ward 6

Ward 6 News: Transportation

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Article Date:
6/8/2015

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Ring Road

Bowfort Interchange Project

UBER Disassembled

Calgary Traffic Report

Ring Road

The construction of the South West Ring Road from Highway 22X to Highway 8 and approximately Sarcee Trail will be underway soon. Following the last Provincial Budget announcement the West Ring Road, from Highway 8 to the TransCanada along 101 Street S.W., is now scheduled to begin in 2020-2021.

Due to that delay, we anticipate that the SWRR will be completed several years before the WRR and therefore are preparing plans for temporarily managing the SWRR traffic on our current roads network. Part of the solution may include adding capacity to Sarcee Trail S.W.

The City Transportation Department will have their recommendations ready in the next few months. I look forward to discussing the issues with you. There will be a public engagement process to gain input on Transportation’s proposed recommendations.

Canada Olympic Park, 16th Avenue & Bowfort Interchange Project

Construction began June 11, 2015 on a major interchange project at Trans Canada Highway (16 Avenue) and Bowfort Road in northwest Calgary. This new interchange will provide smooth free flow of traffic along the Trans Canada Highway, as well as better access to Canada Olympic Park, area businesses and communities. A six-lane detour roadway will be built adjacent to and north of the current TCH and will be used while the interchange is being constructed. This detour will accommodate traffic for approximately 15 months. Access to Bowfort Road north of the TCH will be maintained during this time, while access to COP and other southerly lands will be detoured through a temporary intersection, 500 metres west of the current intersection.

UBER Disassembled

Who doesn’t like a disruptive technology? From my daily Netflix fix to my late arrival to iTunes, these innovations are great for consumers. Some observers have suggested that these service models using technology for us to buy goods and services will grow and revolutionize our business practices – potentially connecting vendors and customers for many needs in our lives.

So why are local and national governments around the world balking at the UBER model for the delivery of taxi services? For UBER, many jurisdictions, including Calgary, have insisted on enforcing local By-Laws before accepting this service into our community. These By-Laws are for the same basic public safety terms that apply to all current licensed operators. They require that:

1. The drivers pass a police check.

2. The vehicles pass a safety check.

3. There is a commercial insurance policy in place (which can be five times the cost of the regular private owner policy).

Why not let the public assume the risks above? Simply stated, the public does not know about the risks nor has public input indicated they are prepared to assume the risks.

Even if some were prepared to consider these risks, many other drivers and pedestrians may not reasonably be prepared to do so. Furthermore, visitors to Calgary using uninsured taxi services may unknowingly be assuming the significant risk of an uninsured injury.

Council has been challenged on protecting local industry and entrenched interests. Those interests have told us that, with a level playing field, where all players must invest in the same safety protections, they would welcome the opportunity to compete.

Toronto currently has this matter before the Courts and the City is following the case closely.

Calgary Traffic Report

Calgarians are familiar with our four seasons; winter, winter, winter, and construction. As construction season is underway, you can visit calgary.ca, Calgary traffic report and road closures for up-to-the-minute road closures, road construction, traffic incidents and current traffic photos. You can check the interactive map, view current travel times, and see traffic camera photos for:

• 16 Avenue

• Bow Trail

• Crowchild Trail

• Deerfoot Trail

• Glenmore Trail

• Macleod Trail

• Memorial Drive

• Stoney Trail

• Northeast

• Northwest

• Southeast

• Southwest

Alternatively, the Traffic Advisory Radio 106.5 provides up to the minute traffic information from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm Monday to Friday.

This content represents the personal views and opinions of the Ward Councillor and should not be taken as a statement of policy of The City of Calgary. The inclusion of any external content does not imply endorsement by The City of Calgary.